Paradoxes, Gossiping and Not Flying By The Book
by tromana
Summary: Full title: "Paradoxes, Gossiping, Guardians and Not Flying By The Book". Spoilers for Children In Need Special 'Time Crash'. Two TARDISes collide. Only this time containing two fourth Doctors and two Romana's... oh dear.


**Title:** Paradoxes, Gossiping, Guardians and Not Flying By The Book  
**Author:** tromana  
**Rating:** K  
**Characters:** 4th Doctor, Romana I, Romana II  
**Spoilers:** Time Crash  
**Summary:** Two TARDISes collide. Only this time containing two fourth Doctors and two Romana's... oh dear.  
**Notes: **For/inspired by chat on the livejournal group **romanafen****  
****Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who. Still. I've got some DVDs though. And Microsoft Word...

**Paradoxes, Gossiping, Guardians and Not Flying By The Book**

"Romana!"  
"Yes, Doctor?"  
"Romana!"

"What is it _now_? I thought you knew how to…"  
"The co-ordinates appear to be blocked. If I didn't know otherwise, I'd have thought we were going to crash…"

"_Doctor?"  
"Yes Romana?"  
"The TARDIS is giving out quite unusual readings," The Doctor opened his mouth to comment but Romana quickly cut him off. "Not the randomiser and not something I've done…"  
"You always fly by the book Romana, it'd never be something you've…"_

"That's impossible." Romana breathed. "Doctor… it says there's two TARDISes…"  
"Who are you?"

Romana glanced up briefly from the console to see she was being stared down… by herself. Seeing her first body standing in the TARDIS, so close, yet so far away was like a ghost from the past had suddenly caught up with her. It hadn't been long since she'd regenerated. She found herself missing that body; she was so proud, feisty. And certainly not one to take too kindly to intruders in the TARDIS.

"I'm…"

The younger Romana glanced despairingly at the Doctor, only to see two of them. Virtually identical. Comparing scarves and damage afflicted in the time that has passed. Positively gossiping instead of worrying about the task in hand.

"Romanadvoratrelundar. Are you aware that if we do not do something in the next five minutes there will be a hole in the space-time continuum the size of…?"

Romana straightened her tie and looked slightly flustered. The Doctor – the one that had been travelling with her – glanced over her shoulder and grinned slightly manically at her counterpart.

"The Isle of Man."  
"Oh Doctor, really. That'll go straight over my head, I expect." She regarded the other Romana. "How far have you got with the Key to Time?"  
"We were about to get the third segment before we were rudely interrupted. Besides you still haven't explained who –"  
"See! I haven't even been to Earth yet."  
"…and how do you know about the Key to Time?"  
"Oh I don't like this Doctor… Doctors." She quickly corrected herself. "There are so many paradoxes in this room. And all you can do is…"

She gave up trying to persuade them to interact further. Obviously the only other sane, if somewhat confused person in this room was her younger self. She wasn't entirely sure of the situation or entirely comfortable with explaining it to oneself. But still, she had to try. Not only was there a risk to the continuum but if she didn't get herself and the Doctor back on track, who knew what damage the Black Guardian would wreak? To be honest, this could quite easily be something organised him.

"…the Doctor said we had to watch…"  
"No, Romana… look." Romana paused. "I'm…"  
"A future assistant of the Doctor's?"  
"Well, sort of, yes but- "  
"Human?"  
"No – Romana just hold onto the multi-loop stabiliser will you?"

Romana paused and regarded the woman in the school uniform warily. No one seemed to bother with the multi-loop stabiliser bar herself. Her blonde head was bobbed down as she furiously attacked buttons on the TARDIS control; but she obliged anyway.

"You're…"  
"Yes, what?" Romana snapped, looking up from the controls.  
"You're me?" Romana brushed her free hand through her dark hair. "But how's that possible?"  
"Timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly…"  
"…stuff." The Doctors kindly put in.  
"And that means?"  
"I rather think it means he doesn't know."

Romana stifled a laugh and nodded in agreement with herself. It was quite surprising how much good company your other regeneration could be. Still, it wasn't long before they had to focus on the task in hand – there were two TARDISes, two Time Lords, the Key to Time and the time-space continuum at risk. And the Doctors were still more keen on gossiping.

"But this isn't exactly flying by the book!" Romana protested.  
"This kind of situation is hardly going to be covered by the book is it?"  
"How do you know to do that?"  
"Because I can remember questioning myself as you're doing now."

Romana slammed on the handbrake with one hand and twisted another button with the other, whilst ensuring her younger incarnation carried out her instructions .The TARDIS protested violently and all its inhabitants were knocked off their feet, but somehow they managed to separate them.

"Well." Romana brushed down her pleated skirt. "That's the end of that then. I guess we'll be off."

The Doctor waved genially at his counterpart before disappearing. Romana whacked a button angrily, preventing Romana from crossing the breach.

"Yes?"  
"I've regenerated?"  
"Yes."  
"Soon-ish?" She knew she shouldn't be asking but she had to know.  
"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Many reasons, I suppose." Romana breathed. "You'll know when the time comes."

With that, she disappeared and the Doctor took over the controls and beamed at the destination which the core of the Key to Time was now directing them towards.

"Go get changed, Romana." He grinned. "You'll _love_ the next destination."

"_Doctor?"  
"Romana?"  
"You don't think that was the Black Guardian's doing, do you?"  
"Could be." He paused as K9 trundled into the room. "Oh, hello K9!"_

_  
Romana rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to get a straight answer any time soon. She quickly figured it was best to go get changed and ponder over it whilst sorting out the piles of junk the Doctor amassed._


End file.
